United States -- Social life and customs -- Fiction
"No. She says that was just kid stuff. She has an idea now she'll breed
thoroughbred horses." Douglas turned over on his back and gazed up into
the heavens, where an eagle hung, motionless.
"Lord! Breeding horses is no work for Jude!" cried Peter.
Douglas did not reply. Peter eyed the young man's clean, hawk-like
profile and went on. "What does she say about you and Fowler?"
"She laughs at me."
"Do you think you can get her in touch with Fowler?"
Douglas sat up with a jerk. "Get her in touch with him? Say, what do you
think I'm bringing that sky pilot in here for? You can bet she'll get in
touch with him! I'll show that girl I haven't played all my cards yet!"
Peter stared long and unblinkingly at Douglas. "Well, I'll be damned!"
he muttered and filled his pipe again.
The summer passed for Douglas with extraordinary rapidity. Profiting by
the experience of the previous winter, every rancher put in as heavy a
grain crop as he could handle and there was little leisure in the Valley
during July and August. Lost Chief was, of course, immensely interested
in Doug's building operations. He was accused of planning to be married
and conjecture ran rife. When he began work in the interior of the log
chapel, he hung burlap bags over the windows and locked the doors. But
his precautions were futile. By the middle of June, every ranch in the
valley was talking about Douglas Spencer's motion-picture hall and
wondered why he was building it so far from the center of the
community. The truth came out in an entirely unexpected manner.
About a week before he expected the preacher, Douglas rode down in the
evening for his mail. Peter had gone to Mountain City on a rare visit
and Young Jeff was acting as postmaster again. Scott Parsons was helping
him sort the mail and it was Scott who fell upon a battered suitcase,
tied with frayed rope.
"What's this mess?" he exclaimed. "Let's see this tag." He shoved the
suitcase close to the lamp. "'The Rev. Mr. James Fowler. Care of Douglas
Spencer.'" Scott looked up with an oath. "What do you know about this!"
he gasped.
Douglas, standing with his back to the cold stove, said nothing.
Young Jeff dropped the handful of letters he was distributing, and
examined the tag for himself. "Old Fowler, eh? Thought he was dead long
ago. What's he coming to see you for, Doug? Going to preach--" He paused
and his eyes grew round. "Doug's motion-picture theater! The sky pilot!
That cabin is a church!"
Scott gave a gasp, followed by a shout of laughter. "How about it,
Doug?"
Douglas grinned.
"What are you doing, Douglas? Starting a ranch for broken-down sky
pilots?" asked Young Jeff.
Still Douglas made no reply. He strode over to the table and put his
hand on the suitcase.
"Hold on!" protested Scott. "Answer a few questions. What are you trying
to put over on us, Douglas?"
"You'll know, pretty soon," answered Doug.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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